The present invention relates to oil well pumps and more particularly to an improved hydraulic oil well pump that is electronically controlled using limit or proximity switches to control a valving arrangement that eliminates shock or excess load from the pumping string or sucker rod during pumping, and especially when changing direction of the sucker rod at the bottom of a stroke. In one embodiment, a time delay halts the movement of the sucker rod or pumping string to allow accumulation of oil in a slow following well. In another embodiment, the pumping string rapidly falls to the bottom of the stroke in order to shake or jar debris from the string.